Means for protecting cables from kinking at the point where they emerge from junction boxes or casings



Aug. 30, 1927.- 1,646,744

GQZAPF MEANS FOR PROTECTING CABLES FROM KINKING AT THE POINT WHERE THEYEMERGE FROM JUNCTION BOXES OR CASINOS Filed Feb. 5. 1926 lweu TOR suringgradual bending.

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED ,STATES PATENT orrica- GEORG ZAPF, OF COLOGNE-MULHEIM, GERMANY,ASSIGNOR TO FELTEN 80 GUIL- LEA'UME CARLSWERK 'ACTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OICOLOGNE-MULHEIM, GER- MANY.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING CABLES FROM KINKING AT THE POINT WHERE THEY EMERGEFROM JUNCTION BOXES OR CASINOS.

Application filed February 5, 1928, Serial No. 86,803, and in GermanyApril 17, 1925.

have to be made rigid. When, in laying.

the cable, such a bulky rigid box runs over the leading sheaves andpaying-out drums.-

the cable is subjected to severe kinking stresses owing to being bent atthe point where it leaves the rigid junction box.

The present invention relates to means for preventing the cablekinkingat the point where it leaves the junction box and for en- In theaccompanying drawing aconstruc:

- tional form of the invention is shown. On the cable a a number ofspherical bodies I) is strung, the diameter of which decreases as thedistance from the junction box increases, so that the cable graduallyapproaches the periphery of the drum. The spherical form is the mostsuitable owing to the great mobility of a ball in all directions andowing to the fact that, whatever its position, thecable will always beat the same distance from the supporting surface. Furthermore accordingto the invention the balls near or immediately next to the junc- 3 tionbox a are given a greater diameter than the box, so that the cable shallcome straight out of the box without a kink.

The balls, as shown at b in cross section, are provided with flaredinlet and outlet openings e to enable the cable to bend freely incorrespondence with the eriphery of the drum. In the middleahe bore inthe ball is reduced to almost the periphery of the cable which may begripped g 40 gripping means at this place. or protectmg the cable, fromdama due to friction the bore of the ball is pre erably lined with alayerd of rubber or the like. In order to relieve thetension on'thecable, the balls in]? be connected together by chains or the Thethickened parts a of the cable, shown in a suitable b in the drawing,are the armouring wires which are fixed in the junction box by means ofllcones and bent back for taking up the P What I claim is .1. Means forprotecting cables against kinking, where they emerge from a junction boxduring the laying of the cable when 65 they run over leading sheaves andpaying drums, comprising in combination with a cable a series ofspherical bodies strun on the cable and capable of coming in directcontact with the leading sheaves and paying drums, the diameters ofwhich spherical bodies decrease the further they are from the junctionbox, as set forth.

2. Means for protecting cables against kinking, where they emerge from ajunction box during the laying of the cable when they run over leadingsheaves and. paying drums, comprising in combination with a cable aseries of spherical bodies strung on the cable and capable of coming indirect contact with the leading sheaves and paying drums, the diametersof which spherical bodies decrease the further they are from thejunction box and having the diameters of those lying nearest thejunction box larger than the junction box, as set forth.

3. Means for protecting cables against kinking, where the emerge from ajunction box during the laying of the cable when they run over leadingsheaves and paying drums, comprising in combination with a cable aseries of spherical bodies strung on the cable and capable of coming indirect contact with the leading sheaves and paydrums, the diameters ofwhich spherical 8 'es decrease the further they are from the junctionbox, a bore extending through each s herical body and bein flaredfromthe mi dle towards each end 0 the bore and a lining in the said borefor reducing the friction'between the spherical body and the cable asset forth. v

for protecting cables against kinking, where they emerge from a unetionbox during the laying of the cable when bodies decrease the further theyare from they run over leading sheaves and paying the junction box, andconnecting means hedrums, comprising in combination with a tween thesaid spherical bodies for taking 10 cable a series of spherical bodiesstrung on up the pull on the cable, as set forth.

the cable and capable of coming in direct In testimony whereof I havesigned my contact with the leading sheaves and payname to thisspecification.

ing drums, the diameters of which spherical GEORG ZAPF.

